Having this in plug-in form – apart from being a no-brainer because it’s free – means some new creative possibilities outside of the synth. I’m immensely fond of the MS-20 itself, and there’s just something about the physical feel of its pots and patch cords, so getting hands on one of KORG’s very accurate remakes or a beat-up original is great if you can find access to one.

And then you can crank it up to screaming distortions and brutal self-oscillation. Even when applied more subtly, it’s full of character – a filter sweep in either direction just sounds different on the KORG circuit than on others.

The MS-20 filter is a beautiful design, precisely because what it’s not is tame or well-behaved. And for a limited time, it’s free, so let’s grab it and have a look and how to get going. Arturia has now made their model of it available as an independent plug-in, packed with extras, so you can use it anywhere. The KORG MS-20 has long been the cure for the common filter.

Arturia ms20